Thursday, June 25, 2009

Its been 10 days....


Ten days without chocolate - who knew it was possible?

It was painful for a few of those days, but I'm almost cool with it now. However being cool with it is freaking me out!!!

I can confirm that in the absence of chocolate I have been doing a few crazy things. I can't divulge much right now, but watch this space....

Hee hee

Jen x

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Burn Baby, Burn

Bonfires at the bottom of our block seem to be almost a weekly event at the moment. Saturday morning arrives and the Hatchlings commence their 'Project Bonfire' campaign.


"Can we have a bonfire? Can we? Can we? Can we have a bonfire?" The campaign is executed by Hatchling No.1, given that Hatchling No.2 doesn't yet have much of a vocabulary. But I'm sure Hatchling No.2 is the brains behind the operation. He's a pretty smooth operator that Hatchling No.2. Gee I hope he uses his talents for good and not evil in the years to come or we could all be in trouble.



How can you overcome cuteness powers like this?








By about lunchtime Union Jack has been worn down and with paper and matches in hand he takes the Hatchlings down the hill to what has become the bonfire 'sacred site'. Everybody collects sticks and bark, and for the next 500 hours we huddle around the bonfire marvelling at the joy and fascination a fire brings. Its better than any play centre, tv show or battery operated plastic toy for sure!





I suspect its the element of danger that does it. The kids know that fire is hot, and if they get too close or touch the wrong thing it is going to HURT. They haven't yet had to find out the hard way, for which I am very grateful.



In truth, they tend to the fire briefly and then spend the rest of the afternoon horsing around all over the block.





The other thing that happens when we have a bonfire is that people join in. Neighbours, dogs, nephews and other folk appear here and there. They throw a few sticks on our fire, have a chat, get chased by the smoke and then go on their merry way. Or they stay.





(Hatchling No.1 has inherited a condition known as 'the blurry gene')


After a while Union Jack's attention wanders and he finds himself at our neighbour's house performing some blokey activity like welding, or grinding - or something! Prysa and Hilly live next door - Prysa likes blokey activities, check him out.





Prysa likes our bonfires too.





(Can you guess who Hatchling No.1 inherited 'the blurry gene' from?)


The bonfire ritual is part of our fuel reduction policy in preparation for next summers' bushfire season. If we keep up the pace Union Jack has set so far our block will be ship shape by the summer.



Summer will be here before we know it and I haven't yet recovered psychologically from last fire season. May there never be another episode like that one.




But for now the smell of smoke in the air is comforting, and a signature of a Saturday afternoon well spent. Yes, I think for now we'll just enjoy it...



Jen x

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Betsy

I have a laptop computer - and a bag to carry him in.

Big deal, right?

The thing is, I don't love the bag that Mr Laptop came with. And I'm sure that if Mr Laptop could voice his opinion he would agree and say this bag is no place for an esteemed electronic device to live. Mr Laptop's bag was practical to be sure, he just wasn't very attractive and we never hit it off.

Well all that has changed. On Wednesday last week I bought Mr Laptop the luxury penthouse of carry bags, and I can't stop looking at her. Take a look and you'll see why:




Isn't she beautiful? A perfect shade of red, which happens to be my favorite colour.


In all of her shiny red splenour she is also a very user-friendly work bag for me. I think I might marry her if she wasn't a piece of luggage and I wasn't already married. I wonder if that kind of marriage would be legal in Australia?



Then again, maybe she isn't the marrying type - she does seem rather racey.

And shiny.



And red.



She's my new best friend. I think I'll call her Betsy.

Jen x

Note 25/06/09: Betsy came from the lovely bag shop at BrandSmart in Nunawading called "Victoria Station". Go get one Miss Tanya!!

Monday, June 15, 2009

News Flash...





I am giving up chocolate for one month - starting today.

I may never be the same again.

Jen x

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

The Fishpond Sandpit

When Union Jack and I first moved into our house we were fresh faced newly-weds. There were no offspring in sight - just him and me. Yes, in those early days we were as free as a pair of little double-income-no-kids birds.


We would have romantic dinners, weekends away, lazy Sundays spent with newspapers, a flood of tea and each other.


I don't quite remember the details but I'm pretty certain that we got to sleep in on the weekends until we felt like waking up. Wow! Nowadays our day starts when Drill Sergeant No.1 or No.2 commands we take action - usually around 6am. (Its fair to say that 6am is just a little bit earlier than I'd prefer, but there's just no reasoning with the Hatchlings on this matter - YET.)

In the first couple of years our house also had a fishpond that looked like this:



When we first viewed the house prior to buying it there was a little cafe style table and two chairs out in the courtyard where the fishpond is located.

Union Jack and I could really see ourselves sitting out there, listening to the waterfall while we chatted over coffee. The sound of the trickling water created a relaxed atmosphere. We liked that pond - and the goldfish who lived in it too.



The pond was never really seen as a hazard until the most beautiful baby in the world arrived in 2005 - Hatchling No.1. (In case you are wondering, Hatchling No.2 was of course the most beautiful baby in the world in 2007.) When our little bundle of joy became mobile we looked at the pond rather differently, "What if the little whipper snapper falls in?" we thought.




Then, after months of puzzling on our part, Grandpa D had a brain wave, "You could always empty out the water and turn it into a sand pit?" he said.



Yes! Of course!!


Now the risky water hazard has become the ultimate sand pit experience. Its big, deep and full of toys. I can watch the Hatchlings play in the sandpit from the kitchen, loungeroom, bedroom, hallway and toyroom. So when Hatchling No.1 has Hatchling No.2 in his sights to recieve a truckload of sand over his head I can often rescue the poor little mite before it happens.

We've got a slide too.




We still often refer to that area as "The Fishpond", and who knows, maybe one day it will become a fishpond once again.


Its not nearly as cool as the arrangement we first fell in love with.

It doesn't have the tranquility that it used to.

But instead it is lively. It is full of action, fun, laughter, Tonka Trucks (and sand).


Its our "Fishpond Sandpit".

Jen x